Season: 2014 Winter
York Brewery
Waggon and Horses
The Waggon and Horses joined the league for the Winter 2014 season. The pub was taken over in 2014 by Tom Renshaw, who has kept this well-loved York venue in excellent shape, maintaining its reputation for great beer provided by local independent breweries, as well as developing a reputation for top quality pub food.
Paul Cranfield is the Waggon’s team captain, a selection which has produced the league’s first matrimonial rivalry, since Paul’s partner, Karen, plays for the Phoenix. Should be interesting!
University
The University of York student team joined the league for the Summer 2014 season. Founded by Joe Foxon, a former Physics student at the Uni, the team is quite possibly the only student bar billiards team in the country, or even the world!
If you are at the university and are interested in joining the team, send an email to [email protected], find us on Twitter or just turn up to one of our practice sessions. These are usually Tuesday at 7:30 at the Fulford Arms during term time, but any changes are posted on our Facebook group.
Phoenix
Dating back to the late eighteenth century, the Phoenix has been through many iterations and a couple of names, though these days takes a slightly more politically correct name from the name of the glassworks formerly occupying the adjacent site. Independently owned and run, the regular Jazz events and open fire contribute to a friendly atmosphere.
Team captain Ben hails from the grid system of Milton Keynes and discovered Bar Billiards while living in Cambridge. He’s always eager to offer restaurant recommendations or talk about motorsport in exhaustive and tedious detail.
Special mention must go to the late Tim Everton, who deserves credit for turning the Phoenix into a pub valued by so many people:
http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2011/jun/27/tim-everton-obituary
Knavesmire
Beloved of racegoers, The Knavesmire sits in the heart of South Bank near the racecourse from which it takes its name. Having been through a few management changes in recent years it’s now under the guidance of Stu Weston, who has a strong history of running pubs that are appreciated and used by local communities, including the Cross Keys and the Fox in Holgate.
Bar Billiards captains in York seem unable to own average size dogs. Accompanied by a large alsatian and boundless enthusiasm, Stu’s team walked away with the Summer 2014 league title in style.
Golden Ball
The Golden Ball inaugurated the league with the Phoenix back in 2013. The team is run by Mike Shallcross, and the pub is managed by the wonderful Beth Maguire, on behalf of the Golden Ball Co-op. That’s right – The Golden Ball is York’s first Co-operative Pub, which means the lease is owned by the people who drink in the pub, and all profits go back into the community.
It’s a Grade II listed pub with a well-preserved Victorian layout, and a lovely tiled bar with seven hand-pulled cask ales on at all times. The pub focuses on top quality beer, from local breweries wherever possible, and great live music – come down on a Sunday night for the legendary folk sessions. The Golden Ball is at the heart of Bishophill in every sense.
Fulford Arms
A popular live music venue offering superb pizzas and burgers, the Fulford also has three bar billiards tables. The pub is run by Chris Sherington, who has made his mark as a billiards-enthused all-round nice chap.
Feel free to ask him about his Sinclair C5(s) or range of board games, and watch out for the pub’s resident evil genius Moriarty, who can often be found stalking the players.